Sash holder



May 10, 1949.

A. P. GRATKOWSKI SASH HOLDER Filed June 14, 1948 may AV E .M; i M a w AW iflfi u J/ .v 1 2 n Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SASH HOLDER Alexander P. Gratkcwski, Scranton, Pa. Application June 14, 1948, Serial No. 32,774

4 Claims.

This invention relates to spring pressed roller devices for providing limited friction means for retaining relatively slidable elements in any adjusted position against the effects of weight, vibration, and other extraneous forces which may tend to displace the elements from their desired relative position, yet permitting relatively free normal adjustment to any new position.

The object of this invention is to provide a roller unit for mounting in one of a pair of adj a cent relatively slidable surfaces of elements to furnish a limited amount of friction between said elements while permitting relatively free manual slidable adjustments therebetween.

A further object is to construct a roller unit of the above type having few moving parts which are simple, easy to make and assemble, and yet combine to make a sturdy and easily installable unit.

A further object is to make the roller in the above unit of a length substantially equal to its diameter, and the flange is provided with a substantially square opening of like dimensions, whereby the cylindrical casing may be turned to guide the roller through said opening in either one of two mutually perpendicular positions about the axis of the cylinder, as may be desired.

A still further object is to provide indicating marks on the collar and easing which show when the roller is lined up with the openings in the flange, when the slotted portions of the cylindrical casing are screwed into the collar and are invisible from the outside of the unit.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will become apparent in the following detailed description thereof, having reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a window frame showing the application of the illustrated units to a window for use in place of window sash weights,

Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of one of the units,

Figure 3 is a sectional 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the several parts which make up the unit, and

Figure 5 is an alternative shape of roller which may be used in the unit.

One manner of using the present device is shown in Figure 1, in which the units l and 2 are mounted in the surface 3 of the window frame 4 adjacent the lower end of the upper window sash 5 and the upper end of the lower window sash 6 for pressing against the opposite sides of view taken on the line the respective sashes to hold them against displacement which might otherwise be caused by their weights, vibrations or other extraneous forces. The pressure of the springs is such that it will permit free movement manually, however, to move the sash up or down to any position desired.

As shown in the detailed views, the roller unit comprises a roller 1, preferably of rubber, or other resilient material, having a metal shaft 8 extending through bearings in the yoke 9 which has an axial pin Iii thereon and serves as a guide for a coiled compression spring ll compressed between said yoke and a centrally perforated cap screw l2. The cap screw closes the end of the cylindrical casing 13 of the unit, the other end of which is threaded into a collar M. The outer end of the collar is flanged to form a plate 15 which has four countersunk holes l6 for flat head screws H to pass through in mounting the unit flush in one of two relatively slidable adjacent elements, such as the window frame 4 and window sash 5 or 6.

The plate l5 has a substantially square cutout opening l8 for the roller i which has a diameter and length both slightly smaller than a side of said square opening, so that it will clear the opening in either one of two mutually perpendicular positions around the axis of said unit.

The cap screw is internally axially counterbored at H) to form a guide for the outer end of the coiled spring H. It may be provided with ears 20 to facilitate its turning, and its central perforation serves as a guide for the outer end of pin ill when it is assembled. The outer ends of the shaft fit slidably in slots 2! in the externally threaded end of the cylindrical casing. This casing has a marker 22 in line with one or both of these slots 21, to indicate the location thereof when they are hidden from view inside collar l4 when the unit is assembled. Thus the cylindrical casing may be lined up so that the roller will register with the opening I8 without binding by lining up these markers with companion markers 23 on the collar l4 properly located with respect to the opening 18.

Figure 5 show an alternatively shaped roller 1 with shaft 8', which may be used in place of the circular roller 1. This form of roller may be preferable in some cases and would have a little more resistance to creeping than the circular form, and with the same spring pressure would provide a little more friction which may be desirable in some applications.

Another use for these roller units may be for holding a door open to any position to which it may be manually swung. In such instance the unit would be mounted in the bottom surface of the door so as to react against the floor and the roller would be turned 90 about the axis of unit from the position shown in the drawing.

Many obvious modification in the details of this roller unit may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A roller unit for cooperation between a pair of adjacent relatively slidable surfaces, comprising a resilient roller, a metal shaft carrying the roller, a yoke, bearings on the yoke. for saidshaft and a pin extending from said yoke, a cylindrical casing, a centrally perforated; capvscrew at one end of said casing, an internally threaded collar having a flange plate atone end with a central substantially square opening and countersunk screw-holes for mounting the unit flush inone of said -pair ofadjacent relatively sliclablesur-- faces; said casing being threaded into said collar and having slots in its threaded portion for the ends of said shaft to guide the roller through said opening, and a coil spring around said" pin,

4 pressed between said yoke and said cap screw, the perforation in said cap screw serving as a guide for the outer end of said pin.

2. A roller unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said cap screw is internally counterbored to form a guide for the outer end of said coil spring.

3. A roller unit as defined in claim 2, wherein said cap screw is further provided with lugs on the outside to facilitate its turning.

4. A roller unit as defined in claim: 1, wherein said roller has a multilateral cross-section to increase resistance to any tendency of relative creeping between said surfaces.

ALEXANDER P. GRATKOWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

